Colour and fabric trends for your home this spring

Lynnette Peck takes a peek at the latest décor ideas from the world of interior design.

Lynnette Peck takes a peek at the latest décor ideas from the world of interior design.

Fortunately, for those among us interested in such things, major home interiors trends don’t change seasonally, unlike fashion styles.

Imagine buying new cushions and curtains every three months as many do with dresses and shoes (guilty, but never mind that for the purpose of this column).

Through the decades

Generally speaking a major ‘look’ lasts five to 10 years in the world of interior design. The ’90s went big on minimalism with beige walls, white kitchens, pine furniture, skirted tables, bedding, walls and furniture in matching fabrics and blue and white crockery.

The noughties were all about ‘shabby chic’ painted and scuffed-looking furniture, chandeliers and large mirrors. This decade has been dominated so far by ‘industrial chic’, upcycling and metallics.

Micro trends

There are of course always ‘micro trends’, and in the last couple of years these have been: placing large pendant lights in groups, ’50s-style furnishings, animal- and birds-print fabrics and lemon and grey for everything else. You probably have a grey wall and pendant lights in your house somewhere…

New season

But change is in the air for spring 2017! This doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune, and you probably won’t want to either. Tweaks here and there throughout your house will keep it looking modern. So, here goes with my list of what are about to become the next big things…

Colour palettes

Pinks (Prism Pink) and greens (Greenery) are going to be part of the new colour palette according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of colour consultants the Pantone Color Institute: “Greenery (named the 2017 Pantone Color of the Year) bursts forth in 2017 and the popularity of green is because it is both the colour of nature and of health and wellness.”

The simplest way to carry off this look at home is to think about painting a room pastel pink or forest green and buying some large palm plants (yes, these ’70s icons are back in again).

Navy and white

Navy is the new black and midnight blue seems to be replacing grey as the colour of choice for walls.

If your budget allows for it, now is the time to buy a blue velvet sofa or chair. Modern but with a traditional feel, dark walls also work surprisingly well in small spaces to add some mystique to a room.

There is also a trend towards hand-crafted, artisanal pieces this year in ‘raw whites’. Think vases in chalky whites and soft furnishings in bone white.

Seventies style

There are various trends that all add up to making the ’70s a force to be reckoned with again.

Palm print fabrics, cork, raffia furniture and marble bathrooms all mean that retro is current, if you get my drift.

Oh and don’t worry about all your copper/metallic pieces going out of fashion – it’s been renamed ‘rose gold’ for 2017 by some interior designers and will still look current for another few years yet… I predict brass will be big after that so perhaps start stockpiling pieces now.

Do you like the idea of a blue velvet sofa or a green wall? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Change for my lounge

My lounge is brown sounds yuk but is really nice. But now I want to do a small makeover. The main wall has brown paper with small gold leaves. Want to keep that. The other walls going for a natural colour. Change my cushions colour to a light colour. My curtains are fine as they are light cream. Wooden floor. Looking forward to the change very soon.

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Blue Velvet

17/04/2017

I would give anything for a blue velvet sofa. I would also like a blue Chinese carpet (giant rug) to go with. I would love the feeling of opulence. This would be my private sitting room. No guests or children would be allowed in.

Blue suite

Greens and blues look amazing

I have just put a mural on my stairs of a beautiful green forest and looks amazing . Blue velvet look great too with the right accessories. I have just made velvet purple curtains and recovered my sofas in purple velvet and is such a talking point!